The Max series Tokyo Vice enthralled audiences with its deep and intricate exploration into the underbellies of Japan. The series is based on the controversial book of the same name by Jake Adelstein and stars Ansel Elgort playing Adelstein along with popular Japanese actor Ken Watanabe. The first season received great reviews from audiences and critics.
The second season of the show is now streaming on Max. The makers of the show were hell-bent on shooting the series on location in Japan rather than constructing sets and recreating the country in other places. Despite a history of difficulties in having a Hollywood production in Japan, Tokyo Vice makers were successful in taking the necessary steps to secure a location for their shoot.
Realizing and Capturing The Real Essence of Japan Was Essential for Tokyo Vice
Ansel Elgort’s Tokyo Vice made a splash on Max with its first season in 2022. The show had Elgort playing the real-life American journalist Jake Adelstein, who worked in Japan covering crimes of the underworld. He teams up with Ken Watanabe’s Hiroto Katagiri to dig deep into the crimes of the Japanese yakuza.
With the show predominantly set in Japan, the makers made sure that it was authentic to the country’s socio-cultural beliefs and environment. With season 2 of the show, they set out to film a key scene of the show in the famous Tokyo’s historic Akasaka district, a location scouted by Masanori Aikawa, the location manager of the show.
Historically, Japan has not been very receptive to foreign productions happening in the country. Thus, Hollywood films set in Japan mostly try to construct sets and recreate the country on a sound stage or another region, for example, Brad Pitt’s Bullet Train was filmed entirely on a soundstage in LA. But for the makers of Tokyo Vice, it was really important for the series to have an authentic look and feel of Japan.
While shooting the show, they also witnessed an alleged yakuza member patrolling the sets while they were shooting. With the series embedded and rooted in Japanese history and real-life events, the producer of the show Alex Boden told The Hollywood Reporter that they knew they were getting a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with their project and they weren’t going to destroy the equilibrium of their production by breaking important rules and regulations that were set. He said,
“We knew we were here for six months on season one, and we wanted to come back for a second season, so we just couldn’t afford to jeopardize our relationships in that way. There was no other option than to do it properly from the start.”
With season 2, the creators wanted the show to reflect more of the outside of Japan rather than interior scenes. Thus, they captured more of the cities and exotic nightlife of Japan with season 2 and hoped that audiences would connect even more with the show this time around.
Ansel Elgort Promises a Thrilling and Satisfying Finale to Season 2 of Tokyo Vice
New episodes of the second season of Tokyo Vice is currently airing weekly on Max with Ansel Elgort returning as Jake Adelstein. With the season nearing its end, Elgort teased that the season will not end with a cliffhanger like season 1 and will instead enthrall fans with an incredibly satisfying finale. He told The Hollywood Reporter,
“Unlike season one [which ended on a cliffhanger], the end of this season — the last bite you get — is going to leave you satisfied. You’re not going to be like “Wait! That’s the end?” It doesn’t leave you on any cliffhangers. It doesn’t do that TV thing where it’s just trying to get you ready for the next season. It’s going to leave you satisfied at the end and with a great viewing experience.”
In addition to Elgort, the series also stars Ken Watanabe, Rachel Keller, Hideaki Itō, and Show Kasamatsu, among many others. The season finale of Tokyo Vice is set to air on Max on April 4, 2024, and fans should catch up on the series before its premiere.
